


First Light at Dawn

by Trams



Series: The Speed Dating AU [3]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 18:46:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12847263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trams/pseuds/Trams
Summary: Goodnight proposing to Billy





	First Light at Dawn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fontainebleau](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fontainebleau/gifts).



> So Fontainebleau wished for Goody to propose to Billy in the speed dating AU. And really how could I not write that? I did mean to write something short and sweet, but that didn't happen.

“I need your advice,” Goody said, as soon as Sam opened the door, and then pushed past him to walk inside.

“Hi, Goody, come on in,” Sam said, and closed the door. Goody was already heading for the kitchen.

“I knocked,” Goody said. He had the key, of course he did, but Sam didn’t exactly appreciate when Goody just let himself inside.

Sam had moved into his family home when his mother had passed away three years earlier. The same house Goody had moved into as an angry and lost teen, after losing his whole family. Sam’s mother had become his auntie, for the short period of time he lived there before joining the military. The house had been where he healed, the one place he had always been able to return to.

Things in the home had changed through time, by this point Sam had changed the wallpaper in all the rooms at least once, and the room Sam and Goody had shared had been turned into an office. Sam’s sister’s room had been turned into a guest room when she moved out, and Sam had taken over and completely changed the master bedroom.

The same scents Goody remembered from his teenage years were still there, some fainter, but still enough for him to always feel like he’d been transported back in time if only for a second. The large kitchen, with three large windows letting in plenty of sunshine still had the same warm welcoming feeling, despite looking almost completely different. New paint on the walls, different furniture, and almost all the machines and other appliances had been replaced with new modern ones; except for the ancient coffee maker, which only magic could explain why it was still working and making excellent coffee.

“And here I thought you couldn’t teach old dogs to sit,” Sam said, walking behind Goody, who was rummaging through the fridge and pulled out two cans of beer.

“Sit,” Goody said, straightening and pointing at the table. Sam gave him a smile which could only be called indulgent, and went over and sat down.

Goody placed one beer in front of Sam and then sat down with the other beer on the other side of the table.

“So,” Goody started and then hesitated. He looked down at his hands, and listened to Sam opening his beer.

“So?”

“About Billy.”

“What about him?”

Goody took a deep breath, “I really love him.”

“That,” Sam started. Goody looked up at him, and the gentle smile on Sam’s face. “Is obvious to anyone who has ever spent more than five minutes in the same room as the two of you.”

Goody huffed, and looked away. He opened the beer and took a drink from it.

“I want to marry him, Sam,” Goody said.

He’d expected Sam to point out that they hadn’t even been dating for a year yet, but Goody didn’t think he could ever find someone he clicked so well with as he did with Billy. He didn’t want to lose it all just because someone told him to wait and not rush things, he didn’t normally rush headlong into things, or he didn't use to anymore, but Billy had a tendency to bring out an almost reckless streak in him.

“Of course you do,” Sam said instead.

It wasn't as if it was a surprise that Sam wasn't surprised in any way. Ages ago Goody had told him after all – bitter and drunk – about how much it hurt that he wouldn't get to marry someone, even though he wanted it badly. He had never thought about it when he was younger, but the combination of realizing he was gay, as well as losing his whole family, he suspected may have influenced what he wanted. But now, things were changing, things had changed. Slowly, despite lots of setbacks, the possibility was there. He wanted it, wanted to settle down, wanted to be with Billy, wanted to hold onto him, wanted them to be a family.

“I just don’t know–” he started.

“He loves you, that is obvious,” Sam said.

“I’m not doubting he loves me,” Goody said.

Billy told him in his looks, in his touches, in his gestures, and in words, his feelings were always there, for Goody to see, to feel in his chest as his heart tied itself tighter and tighter to Billy. “I just don’t know how he feels about marriage.”

“Guess you’re just going to have to ask him,” Sam said.

Goody sighed.

“That’s the problem, I don’t know how to ask him.”

He looked up at Sam, at about the same time as Sam’s cat jumped up on the table and meowed. The black cat – black because any other color would ruin Sam’s all black outfits – had been a gift from Sam’s sister, Sara, after Sam’s last break-up two years ago. The cat had come with the implied message that just because Sam now had more free-time didn’t mean he needed to start involving himself needlessly in Sara’s life; instead he should focus on the cat. The implication had either been missed or ignored, based on the many calls Goody had received from her complaining about her brother. The cat, Tanner, bumped its head against Sam’s chest, and meowed. Sam patted him on the head.

“What if he thinks I’m moving too fast?”

“You haven’t even been dating a year and you’ve already asked him to move in with you,” Sam pointed out. 

Tanner laid down like a loaf in front of Sam and meowed displeased whenever Sam stopped petting him.

“Well, that wasn’t so much asking, as it just sort of happened.”

By the time Goody had actually asked, Billy had just raised an eyebrow at him and pointed out that all his stuff was in Goody’s house; that Goody had given him the never furnished guest room which Billy had turned into a gym; and that Billy had rented out his apartment.

“Do you think you are moving too fast?” Sam asked.

“Am I?”

“I don’t know, are you?”

“You know, when I asked you for advice when we were younger you were a lot better at it,” Goody said.

“I remember you not listening to most of my advice when we were younger,” Sam said.

Smiling a little. Goody snorted, and smiled back.

They had gotten to know each other long before Goody went to live with Sam and his mother and sister. They had been best friends since they were ten, which meant there were a lot of times when Goody hadn’t paid much attention to Sam’s cautiousness; though cautious wasn’t really the right word for Sam, he was just a better at plans than Goody was.

“Fair point,” Goody said. “I will listen this time though. You’re the reason I’m in this situation.”

“I expect to be best man at the wedding,” Sam said.

“Oh, I was thinking Teddy from work...”

“Ass.”

They both started laughing, and Tanner got up, with an affronted look at the noise they were making, and left.

“You know,” Sam started when they’d calmed down. “There is no right or wrong way to go about this. You love him right?”

“Yes.”

“And he loves you. You will make it work. You just have to ask him. And if he thinks is too early you can wait until he feels ready. It won’t change anything.”

Goody smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Sam said. “Or, well not literally any time. Be reasonable.”

Goody grinned at him.

“You are going to be calling me in the middle of the night again aren’t you?”

“You said anytime,” Goody said, in a sing-song voice, but then sobered up again, smile slipping away.

“I still don’t know how to ask.”

“He doesn’t strike me as a grand gestures, and public proposal kind of guy,” Sam said, “but on the other hand he does jump out of planes on a daily basis. And he’s dating you, so maybe he likes it a bit flashy. He’s a tricky one. And I don’t think I can help you with this, make it personal Goody.”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks for the help, Sam,” said a little bit distracted.

Make it personal. The obvious would be to bring it all back to where it had started, but it started in a bar at a speed dating event neither of them wanted to even attend. He had told Billy later that he had spotted him right away, had barely even paid attention to anyone else he had spoken to before Billy, so captivated with this one stranger’s beauty. Goody didn’t pay much stock into the notion of love at first sight, and yet. There had been something there as soon as he saw him, some spark that lit up from the way Billy responded, playing along with Goody’s ridiculous lion tamer bit.

“Hey, Sam, do you think I could borrow a lion from the zoo?” Goody asked while they walked to the front door.

“No,” Sam said, very fast. “Definitely not. And even if that was something you could do, I would tell you not to do it.”

“But it would be a great callback to our first meeting.”

Sam sighed, very heavily.

“Well, thanks for the beer and the advice,” Goody said, stepping through the door.

“You’re welcome,” the smile on his face slowly morphing into concern. “About next weekend do you want me to–”

“No,” Goody interrupted. “No, it’s fine. I asked Billy, and he said he’d come with me.”

Sam smiled again.

“That’s good to hear.”

“Yeah, well, I guess this way we’ll be even,” Goody sighed, and took a breath before looking back at Sam. “I’ll say hi to her as well.”

“Thank you.”

~*~

Work was slow, sitting in a dark room only lit by the many monitors, it was perhaps not the most exciting job, watching the feeds from the security cameras at Rose Creek Pharmaceuticals, and every other hour walking through the building – even though the rounds had never seemed necessary to Goody, but he did them, it was nice to stretch his legs. Working as the security guard during the night shift had never been something he aspired to when he was younger, but after the war—

It was nice to have something to do which let him feel needed, but at a much slower pace, besides it wasn’t like he had many other prospects. And it gave him a chance to keep up with his reading, tonight however his mind was a little bit too preoccupied to focus on reading.

“Hey, Emma,” Goody said, looking over at his colleague.

“Mhm,” she mumbled, and did not look up from her book.

“How did Matt propose to you?”

This time she did look up, while also brushing a lock of auburn hair behind her ear, she gave him a considering look, before slowly raising her eyebrows.

“You thinking of asking Billy to marry you?” She asked, and started smiling.

“That’s not an answer to my question,” Goody felt the need to point out, “but yes, as a matter of fact.”

“Congratulations,” she said.

“I haven’t even asked him yet,” Goody protested. She shrugged.

“With some people you just know,” she said. “Everyone thought Matt and I were married long before we actually got married. So I just told him we should get married, and he agreed.”

“So you proposed.”

“If you want to call it that.”

“That doesn’t seem very romantic,” Goody said before he realized that might come off a little bit judgemental, but Emma shrugged and put her book down in her lap, one finger between the pages to mark her place.

“Romance doesn’t have to be the same thing to everyone,” she said, and cocked her head to the side slightly and gave Goody a assessing look. “It can differ. You and I are very different people,” she gestured between them. “And as such we think different things are romantic. And that’s okay, it’s the 21st century, we’re allowed to have different ideas about romance.”

Her face softened.

“If you must know though, we had a very beautiful wedding, it would definitely have suited your ideas about romance I guess. Though it doesn’t invalidate going to Vegas and getting married by someone dressed as Elvis. At the end of the day it should always be about you and your partner and what you both want.”

“So, make it personal?”

“Yeah. I didn’t make the proposal a big deal, because to me it wasn’t a big deal. It’s a promise that at some point down the line we are going to get married, and the wedding will be this extravagant thing that will stay in our memories forever. And believe me it does, I loved our wedding. But having that understated proposal, were it was just the two of us and no expectations, it was nice.”

She looked at Goody.

“You’ll figure it out,” she said.

“I really wasn’t expecting a dissertation on romance,” Goody said.

“Oh, shut up.” She picked up her book again. Goody chuckled and turned back towards the monitors, glancing at the still and quiet rooms.

~*~

The world was so quiet in the early morning, it always felt so unreal, and Goodnight actually enjoyed them. He enjoyed the sunrise as he drove home on empty streets, meeting only the occasional car; sometimes an early jogger or dog owner and sometimes they were one and the same.

He wasn’t feeling too tired yet, but he was definitely looking forward to bed as he turned the key in the lock to the house and entered quietly. Toeing off his shoes he made his way to the bedroom shedding clothes as he walked.

The house was quiet and no lamps were on, but the rising sun outside shone through the windows, including the one in the bedroom. Billy always slept with the blinds open when Goody was at work, he had no idea why really, but he was going to have to close them before he could sleep.

He made his way to the other side of the bed closest to the window, as Billy slept on the side closest to the door, burrowed down beneath the duvet, and Goody paused by the window smiling at the lump of duvet and blankets hiding everything except Billy’s dark hair.

“Hmmm, mornin’” Billy mumbled, startling Goody a little.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Goody said. 

Billy pushed the duvet down to his waist, rolling over on his back, he was shirtless and his long hair fanned out on the pillow he looked at Goody with a small sleepy smile. Goody felt as if his heart did a little jump, and he could probably stand there and stare at how beautiful Billy was for an eternity.

“It’s fine, I should get up soon anyway,” Billy said, voice low and still a little bit sleepy. He looked so soft and warm lying there in the sunlight. Goody abandoned the blinds and crawled onto the bed.

“Do you have to get up right away?” Goody asked. Billy rolled his head from side to side on the pillow, a small smile on his lips.

“I’ll stay till you’re asleep,” Billy said.

Goody leaned over him and gave him a peck on the lips.

“Love you,” Goody said. Billy’s smile widened, showing off adorable dimples and his face softening even more.

“Love you too,” Billy said, and leaned up to kiss Goody softly.

When Goody laid down with his back to Billy, he pulled the covers over them and then put his arm over Goody’s waist and his legs across Goody’s. Goody pushed back against Billy’s chest, and let out a content sigh.

However the sun was shining through the window, and into his eyes, which was a little bit annoying even though he had them closed.

“Will you close the blinds?” He asked.

“Of course,” Billy said.

“Not, right now though,” Goody said. He could fall asleep as long as Billy held him, and he put his hand on Billy’s, pressing both their hands against his stomach.

“Sleep well,” Billy mumbled in Goody’s ear, squeezing him tight for a moment.

It didn’t take Goody long to drift off into sleep.

He did almost wake up when BIlly slid out of the bed and closed the blinds, but he drifted off again almost immediately. Billy would work out and take a shower before heading to work, and then they would maybe see each other in the evening if there was time before Goody headed off to work again. It was a routine they’d fallen into so easily and quickly Goody couldn’t help feeling it was meant to be.

~*~

He was placing the flower bouquets in the backseat when his phone rang. He had had a few more days – or nights more accurately – of works, but now four days off stretched out in front of him, but anything truly life changing would have to wait until after he got through this day.

“Hello, cher” Goody answered the phone. “I’m just getting in the car to come pick you up.”

“That’s why I’m calling,” Billy said, and Goody recognized the apologetic tone in his voice. He sat down in the driver’s seat without closing the door right away. “Things are running a bit late. I know I promised I would come but–”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Goody said. Surprising himself with the fact that he felt okay. Perhaps he was maturing, despite what Sam said. Though there was still a hint of disappointment in his chest.

“Not really, I don’t like breaking promises,” Billy said, sounding genuinely apologetic, and Goody wished he could look at him, touch him rather than speak on the phone. “Especially not my promises to you.”

Goody couldn’t help the brief small smile, but which Billy couldn’t see so he said, “hey, it really is okay, I understand and–” he paused. He didn’t want to say it wasn’t important, because that would be a lie, and Billy would know it to be a lie. “You can come with me another time. It’s not like I only need to go there once a year.” Though he always had to go on this particular day, the only times he had missed had been during basic training and when he was deployed.

“I would– I would like that,” Billy said. “I just... I don’t want you to think I’m trying to avoid it.”

Goody could hear Billy get interrupted by someone calling his name.

“I’m sorry–” Billy, started and then, “hang on, Faraday.”

“I understand,” Goody said. He did, he really did. Theirs was a small business, and Billy had been called out on various emergencies before. It was a little bit annoying, but he wasn’t going to kick up a fuss over it, it was just the way things were, and he had accepted that.

“I’ll see you at home later,” Goody said, once again frustrated that Billy wouldn’t see his reassuring smile, could only hope his tone would convey it.

“See you,” Billy said, and then there was a loud crashing sound on Billy’s end of the line, and Billy shouting Faraday’s name before the call disconnected.

Goody tossed the phone on the passenger’s seat with a small sigh and closed the car door. He was fine with it, he understood, but that didn’t change the fact that he didn’t go there alone if he could avoid it. Sam had accompanied him every time, the first couple of years Sam’s mother had also gone with them.

This time would have been different though, he thought as he turned the key in the ignition and backed out of the driveway, this would have been the first time he brought a boyfriend, which probably revealed something about how rarely he had been in serious relationships before Billy.

He could call Sam, he knew his friend would probably drop whatever he was doing, but it didn’t seem fair to drag him all the way out there. Goody was an adult, not a sad and angry teenager, he didn’t need someone to hold his hand anymore, not that Sam had been physically holding his hand.

Driving was enough of a distraction to keep his mind occupied until thirty minutes later he pulled into the parking lot and parked next to an old, dented, indigo-blue Volvo that looked like it was held together with duct tape and hope; it was one of only two other cars on the gravel parking lot.

He got the flowers out of the backseat, locked the car before wandering over and through the open gate. He walked down the gravel path which cut through the neatly trimmed grass, the path branching off into many smaller paths in all directions, and grey headstones in various sizes littered the hill. He could see people in the distance next to a grave, and he looked away.

He picked one of the path’s branches to the right and headed down the hill, he could probably find his way blindfolded. He walked past a new grave being dug, and he averted his eyes.

Before he made his way to his family’s graves he took a left turn and soon found himself by the headstone marking the grave of Sam Chisolm’s mother. Next to hers was the grave of her late husband, a man Goody had never met as he died before Goody got to know Sam, but he had heard many stories about him from both the Chisolm children.

He had been ten when him and his family left Baton Rouge and came to the west coast. He had met Sam three months later, when he dragged Goody away from a group of bullies, Goody had been a scrawny kid, and to be honest Sam hadn’t been striking a much different figure at that age, he had been a lanky boy, but he was strong and wily. Goody hadn’t left Sam’s side since then, not until his deployment.

A couple of long stemmed roses lay on auntie’s grave, probably left by Sara. Sam always brought roses – and peach blossoms when they were blooming – from his mother’s garden. Goody sank down to one knee and placed one of the bouquets of white roses on the grave.

“Hi, auntie Em,” Goody said, and smiled a little. “No Sammy with me this time.” The only person who could get away with calling Sam ‘Sammy’ to his face was Sara, and he had only been Samuel when someone older than him was reprimanding him.

“He says hello though,” Goody continued.

He had been in his late teens when he moved in, and so had met her many times before, but his abiding memory was always going to be that of her hugging him at the hospital. It had been a warm comforting hug, and he could still remember how she smelled faintly of vanilla and spices he had never figured out the names of, all while telling him he was going to be fine, telling him she was bringing him home with her and not letting him out of her sight, promising she would take care of him and she had done that.

He stayed there for a couple of minutes updating her on the state of Sam’s love live: non-existent – he would have made a joke at Sam’s expense, but with the man not present it seemed pointless to tease him; Sara’s love life: very promising, she had been dating a lovely woman for six months now, even Sam had met her and approved; Sam’s work situation: much more promising than his love life as he was up for a promotion; and Sara was almost finished with her degree.

“But she’s probably already told you this if she was here recently” Goody mused, looking away. “And I’m– I’m good. Better than I’ve been in a long time.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “Though on this day it’s always harder,” he admitted.

After another couple of minutes he said goodbye to auntie and carried on walking. Realizing after a little while that he was dragging his feet and told himself to get a grip and lengthened his stride. The afternoon sun was turning the world golden, and he had no intention of still being here when it got dark. He stepped aside for two women walking in the opposite direction, heading towards the gate, and he bowed his head for them before he continued walking.

Soon he reached a small plot of land, with three headstones all bearing the last name Robicheaux, the last resting place of his mother, father and little sister. He placed the three remaining bouquets on the graves, for his father white roses, for his mother white lilies, and for his sister her favorite flower, purple iris.

“Mum, dad, sis.” He sank down on his knees facing the stones. The grass was damp against the palms of his hands, but it was going to take a moment before he would feel it through his jeans. He looked down at his hands as he wiped them on his thighs, before looking back at the headstones and the year 2004 staring back at him from all three of them.

“I’m fine,” he said. “No. I’m better than fine. Fine is what I’ve been for the past years, I’m actually feeling better now.”

“I still have low moments, but they are… Manageable now.”

He smiled.

“I met a guy.” He huffed out an amused breath, because just thinking about Billy was apparently enough to make something inside of him tingle.

“Actually, I met him a while ago. I just didn’t mention him the last times I’ve been by.”

Because… Because why? He didn’t know why. It hadn’t been because he wasn’t sure about the relationship, from the moment they met he had known that if they continued it wouldn’t be something brief and sweet, it would be something serious. He had been sure about Billy pretty much right away.

“I don’t know, I just haven’t...”

He shook his head looking away. The breeze rustled the last leaves on a tree not far away.

“He’s great, he’s... Well first off he’s gorgeous, but that’s probably not what you were wondering about.” He smiled. “He’s smart and kind, and adventurous, and inspiring, and so good to me, I can only hope to be as good to him. He reminds me of who I used to be, but not… Not in a bad way like I’m regressing. No he makes me feel brave again.”

“And yeah, sometimes I think he’s a bit reckless, but he knows his limits and only pushes at the boundaries as much as he knows he can take. He inspires me to take chances.”

“I can’t say for sure you would have liked him, but... I believe you would have given him a chance. You accepted me, as much as you could.”

Sam had been the first person Goody came out to. He was the only one of his friends as a teen he had felt he could come out to. With most of his guy friends who weren’t Sam the friendships all felt so shallow, so superficial and filled with a lot of posturing, there was none of the easy friendly affection he experienced in his friendship with Sam. With Sam there were times in between all the teasing when they could actually talk about serious things. He could even cry in front of Sam and know he wouldn't be made fun of, because he never would make fun of Sam for having emotions.

They shared everything, talked about everything, so not coming out to Sam would have been disingenuous. It still took him a year from starting to suspect he might be gay until he finally told Sam. He never thought Sam would beat him or anything, but he’d felt some concern; worried that just by letting Sam know he was opening himself up to a world of hurt, because what if Sam accidentally let it slip and the knowledge spread, and it reached someone less understanding. He shouldn’t have worried, not only had Sam accepted him, but he also hugged him, telling him that they would always be friends, and that everything would be okay. And not once did Sam slip up about what he knew.

A few years later he came out to his sister, she had been two years younger than him, before his parents and she was the one who encouraged him to come out to them, which he still waited six months to do. They took it as well as they could at the time, he suspected they both hoped it was just a phase, and he would grow out of it, but they said they still loved him, and he believed them. Mainly because at no point was he sent away to have his gayness cured, nor did they kick him out of the house. They were concerned, but, it could be worse. He lived as out as he felt comfortable being, which meant mostly not out at all, and once he joined the army because of the lack of other options mostly, he felt like he lived a lie, and he had already left before DADT was repealed. He had liked the routine in the military though, but most of everything else hadn’t suited him very well.

“I never brought anyone home, not that I dated much anyway, but I like to think you would have grown used to it if I had...” He paused, and looked up at the stones again. “He’s good for me, that’s what you want for your son isn’t it?”

He had on his visits to the graves talked about people he dated, just like he told them stories about things he’d done with his friends that were memorable, and sometimes he just complained about work. This though, this was different, Billy was different, and he started telling them about meeting Billy, about talking to him for a whole night, learning so much about him and finding him so irresistible. He talked and talked about the last couple of months of knowing Billy, and told them everything he knew about the man.

“I love him,” he finished. “I love him so much it sometimes feels like I might burst.”

He took a deep breath.

“And I want to ask him to marry me. I want to spend the rest of my life with him, and I wish you could have met him.”

He closed his eyes, and paused, and then smiling a small crooked smile said.

“I met his parents a few weeks back.”

Billy and Faraday were going to Texas for a work thing, and Billy was going to take the opportunity to drop by his parents' home in Dallas, and had asked if Goody wanted to come as well. It had been the first time he’d met the parents of anyone he had dated, and so he had been quite nervous about it. ‘I’ve talked about you with them of course,” Billy had told him, and Goody hadn’t been sure if that was reassuring or making him even more nervous. It had been a bit awkward to start with, and Goody hadn’t been so self conscious since he was a teen, but in the end he thought it had gone pretty well.

He finished telling them the highlights and then fell silent just sitting there, trying to imagine his parents meeting Billy’s parents but not quite managing to figure out how it would go.

He sat there in silence for a couple of minutes, growing aware of the dampness creeping through his jeans, when suddenly a voice made his him flinch in surprise.

“Goody.”

He turned his head in surprise and spotted Billy, in jeans, open leather jacket, dark grey tee, and hair in a bun at the back of his head he walked towards Goody. It felt like something heavy lifted off of his shoulders, the wave of happiness sweeping through him made it seem like his heart skipped.

“Billy,” Goody said.

“Didn’t know if you’d still be here, but thought I’d try. Had to ask the grave diggers back there if they could point me in the right direction, and once I got close enough I heard your voice.” He smiled, and stopped next to Goody.

“Thank you,” Goody said, and Billy’s smile grew and he put his hand on Goody’s head, carding his fingers through his hair.

“Of course,” Billy said. “You came to visit my parents. I should visit yours,” said like it was obvious, a given, of course he should visit.

Goody turned back to the graves, but Billy’s hand stayed in his hair, and his leg pressed against the side of Goody’s back.

“Mum, dad, sis. This is Billy, whom I’ve been telling you all about this afternoon.”

“Mr and Mrs. Robicheaux,” Billy said, and Goody glanced up at him and saw him bow his head down.

“Sit,” Goody said and patted the ground beside him, and Billy hesitated and then lowered himself to the ground. Removing his hand from Goody’s hand, which Goody felt was regrettable, but then Billy placed it on Goody’s knee instead.

“Tell them about yourself,” Goody said, feeling like maybe that was asking a bit much, but the words came out of his mouth before he could stop them.

“If you’ve been telling them about me all afternoon is there anything left to tell?” Billy asked, but he smiled and turned towards the headstones, he gave them a long look, Goody saw him reading, and then he opened his mouth.

“Well, I own a small company with my friend from college, where we mostly take people up and I teach them not to die when jumping from a plane.”

Goody took the opportunity to watch Billy while he talked.

“And sometimes film productions hire us for various things, though not that often since we’re nowhere near Los Angeles, and especially not with CGI around, but it happens. And they are so much slower than they predict and it takes much much longer to get things finished, which means I almost didn’t make it here today.”

“You didn’t have to,” Goody said.

“But I wanted,” Billy said, he glanced at Goody and then looked away. “My friend Red can not stop gloating about how he dragged me to a speed dating event I didn’t want to go to actually lead to me meeting someone, but...” he paused and Goody watched him take a deep breath. “I’m actually so glad he did because otherwise I wouldn’t have met your son.” He turned and looked at Goody, with a slight flush on his cheeks. “And I love him.”

“I love you too, cher,” Goody said, meeting Billy’s gaze, and feeling almost bowled over by the wave of adoration shining through them. His own heart swelling and soaring with love and affection. He was so thankful to have met Billy, to get to see him each and every day, to talk to him about everything, and nothing, to just sit and bask in his presence.

Never averting their eyes, he lifted his hand slowly, feeling it tremble slightly as he first touched the pads of his fingertips to Billy’s warm cheek, and then cupped it in his palm, feeling the faint hint of stubble betraying the fact that Billy hadn’t shaved in a couple of days. Goody wanted to lean forward, wanted to kiss, and lick, and nibble along Billy’s jawline, but some sense of propriety still had some semblance of control over his actions and he held back. It was surely that last vestige of appropriateness which stopped him from blurting out the question he had been wanting to ask now for a while, because in the middle of a cemetery in front of the last resting place of his family was definitely not the right place and time.

He didn’t know for how long they sat there, time could have been standing still except for the sinking sun and the growing dusk, and eventually they spoke at the same time.

“I–”

“We shou–”

Goody smiled, and Billy ducked his head. Goody moved his hand to place it on top of the one Billy was still resting on Goody’s knee. Billy looked up at him again.

“I should wait by the cars, let you finish.”

“I’ll catch up to you,” Goody said, while Billy got to his feet. Goody held out a hand, and Billy took it helping him up.

“Thank you for coming,” Goody said.

“You asked me to,” Billy said, like it was just that easy and simple. He kissed Goody on the cheek, before he started walking away. Goody watched him for a bit before turning back to the graves.

“So that was Billy,” he said, and smiled, a little. A giddy feeling in his chest. “And I love him. I know you would have wanted me to be happy. And I am.” He stepped forward and stroked a hand over the top of his mother’s headstone. “I do miss you though, even if it’s not as immediate as it once was, I am older now, but there are still times I wish you were here.” He took a step back again. “I still love you.”

He walked away, step a little lighter than usual when walking away, and caught up with Billy slinging his arm around his waist, and walking next to him to the parking lot.

~*~

Since they had driven to the cemetery separate they didn’t drive together back home, and Billy beat him there. Goody walked through the unlocked front door, locked it, hung up his jacket and shivered. It was just as cold inside as it had been outside – odd.

“Did I–” he started at the same time as Billy walked around the corner and interrupted him.

“You forgot to turn on the heater,” Billy said and handed Goody a grey cable knitted cardigan, Billy was wearing Goody’s other cardigan, an even warmer black one, which was a little too long in the arms.

“I’ve turned it on now,” Billy said and watched as Goody pulled on the cardigan, it was soft, and he wrapped it around himself. “But it’s going to be a little while before it gets warm in here.” He paused for a moment. “So, what now, is there something...” He paused again and Goody realized he was uncertain. “Is there something you usually do on this day?”

Goody smiled at him, a warm feeling in his chest.

“Not really,” Goody said. “My loss is not as immediate and raw as it used to be in my early twenties. Beside I left only a few years after it happened, and couldn’t exactly visit their graves, or develop some habit, except for remembering them on this day.” He took a breath. “And I’ve already done all my angsting about the last day I saw them, I’ve come to terms with it. Done all the remorse over my last words.” He saw Billy’s frown and smiled again. “It wasn’t anything serious. I didn’t shout anything about hating them. But I didn’t tell them I loved them either. It was just something inane.”

Billy opened his mouth so Goody carried on.

“Don’t worry, I’ve come to terms with that too. I know they knew I loved them. My family aren’t the ghosts haunting me.” He turned serious, felt his vision go distant but was brought back to the present almost immediately by Billy’s hand on his cheek.

“I know. I am here protecting you from any ghosts.”

“That you are, and you do a tremendous job, mon cher.” He cupped Billy’s face in his hands. Leaning in for a long, slow kiss, so warm, comforting and familiar.

He felt Billy’s hand at the back of his neck, and he leaned his forehead against Billy’s when the kiss ended.

“We could order pizza and watch a movie,” Billy suggested after a moment of silence. Goody nodded, but reluctant to move they both stayed for another moment.

Billy went to order the pizza, and Goody headed into the bedroom, looking through the closet until he found two pairs of knitted socks. Horne had briefly decided to learn to knit, and the ensuing result had been given away as gifts to everyone whether they wanted them or not. Goody put on the pair that was green and yellow, before walking into the lounge and finding Billy there.

“Catch,” Goody said and tossed the socks at Billy who caught them out of reflex and then gave the red and blue pair a very questioning look.

“I’m good thanks,” Billy said.

“Just put them on,” Goody said. “Your feet are cold enough as it is, no need in making it worse.”

“Fine,” Billy sat down and started to put them on. “What movie do you want to watch?”

“I have this memory of me and Sam, not on the day of, but a couple of days later watching Stargate on the tv,” Goody said, delighted at the face Billy pulled.

“What self respecting channel were showing Stargate in 2004?” Billy asked.

“Ten year anniversary?” Goody suggested, and grinned. Billy cocked his head to the side, and frowned.

“Do you really want to watch it?” he asked. Goody shook his head and smiled.

“Nah, just joking. Sam and I watched that movie way before then. I’ll find something we both like.”

“It’s not that I am completely against terrible sci-fi,” Billy started. “But I have limits.”

“I’m sure it’ll grow on you once you give it a chance.”

“Yeah, like mold,” Billy said, and Goody chuckled while he started Netflix.

Soon they had a movie picked at random playing, and Billy sitting on the couch leaning against the armrest and the back of it, and Goody could lean back against his chest with a content sigh as he pulled a blanket over them and Billy put his arms loosely around Goody.

Warmth and comfort wrapping him up on the outside and inside. It felt so right, having Billy right there with him, holding him, and he was so unbelievably lucky and grateful to be there.

“So, can I ask,” Billy started.

“Hm?”

“Your sister’s name was Have-Faith?”

“We called her Faith,” Goody said. She hadn’t really liked her name, Goody hadn’t liked his name when he was a kid either. “Mum was a bit special,” Goody said. “Not overly religious, just very into history, and someone should have kept that list of puritan names away from mom when she was naming Faith.”

“And your name?”

“I actually don’t know, I asked both her and dad, but they gave wildly different answers, I know it was mom’s idea though.”

According to his dad she had gotten the idea from a dream, and according to his mom she had either gotten it from various animals, it changed every time he asked, or from a book which was what she said when he was older, and eventually he had stopped asking. He had thought of changing it, but after their deaths, he hadn’t the heart to do it, besides, he was Goody by then, it was part of his identity.

“Well, I like your name,” Billy said and pressed a kiss to the top of Goody’s head.

When the doorbell rang Goody groaned annoyed and started to say, “I want to stay right here,” but he bit back ‘in this moment with you’ because it seemed too corny, even if it was true. He didn’t want to move, didn’t want to untangle himself from the cocoon of warmth and safety.

~*~

The next evening the dishwasher broke. And after calling around had only gotten the answer that no one could come and fix it until a few days later, so soon Billy stood by the sink with hands in soapy water, and Goody stood next to him drying off plates.

They had had a lazy day at home, Goody hadn't even changed out of his sweatpants and white tee. Billy had been working out when the machine broke, and was still in his sinfully tight, black yoga pants, a black sleeveless tee, hair in a bun but locks kept falling loose and getting in his eyes.

Goody had turned on some music on Billy’s laptop, which was playing at a low volume under the noise of splashing water, cutlery, glasses and plates softly clinking together.

“You know, if you were a little more gentle a lot less water would end up on the floor,” Goody pointed out after Billy’s far to vigorous arm movement sent a small wave of water splashing over the counter and Billy himself had to step back to avoid getting splashed.

“I don’t often hear you ask me to be more gentle,” Billy said, with a slow grin and a wink. It took Goody barely a moment, and he started to sputter, and he felt himself flush slightly, suddenly remembering the sound of his own voice wrecked with passion begging Billy to take him harder.

“Shut up,” Goody muttered. Billy gave him his most innocent look.

“What?”

“Stop scrubbing so hard,” Goody mumbled.

“Do you want to do this?” Billy asked.

“No, I’m good.”

Billy huffed, but he smiled and turned his attention back to his hands, but Goody couldn’t tear his own eyes away from Billy. He wanted this, every fiber of his being wanted this, the easy way they acted around each other, the domesticity, this was what he wanted, now and for the rest of his life.

Suddenly a hand waved in his face and he was brought back to the present.

“There you are,” Billy said. “Don’t zone out on me.” He grabbed Goody’s chin, getting water and suds in Goody’s beard. Goody swatted his hand away with a chuckle and then reached out, grabbing some suds from the sink, and placed the ball of bubbles on the tip of Billy’s nose.

“You are a menace Billy Rocks,” Goody said, and grinned at the way Billy first scrunched up his nose and then wiped it away with the back of his hand. He turned to Goody.

“Oh, I’m the menace?” Billy asked. Goody nodded, unable to hold back his smile, especially when he saw Billy struggling to not smile as well. Billy flicked water at him and Goody was too slow to hold up the towel to protect himself, and droplets hit his shirt, neck and face.

“Yes, you are,” Goody said, and grinned while wiping off his face.

Billy laughed, the laugh that opened him up, made his face look softer and years younger. Dimples that begged to be kissed and eyes that shone with joy. A wave of affection swept through Goody, making it hard to breath for a second, and that affection was a warmth that swelled in his chest.

“Marry me,” Goody blurted out, and then stopped breathing. Billy’s expression changed to surprise as he looked at Goody.

“What?”

Goody took a deep gulping breath, heart beating fast like a jackhammer.

“I– I want to marry you,” Goody said, biting his bottom lip for a moment. “I was going to do something more romantic than this. But, it’s been on my mind lately and I just–”

“Goody,” there was a tremble in Billy’s voice, and Goody watched as he swallowed hard. Goody let out a shaky breath.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on your knee when you ask?” Billy asked, voice neutral. Goody stood for a moment caught off guard, and then sank down to one knee, unfortunately putting his knee in a small puddle but he didn’t care. He looked up at Billy and reached out one hand which Billy met with his own hand. Their fingers brushed and Goody gripped his hand, he kissed the back of it like he had done the first time they met, and looked up at Billy. His whole body vibrating, and heart beating fast and hard, blood rushing in his ears.

“This wasn’t how I imagined doing it,” Goody said. “I wanted to do something grand, and spectacular, and over the top romantic, because that is who I am.” He blinked and smiled to himself. “But I’m also the person who asks if someone is a lion tamer before even introducing myself, and I guess that means I blurt out a proposal when doing the dishes, but Billy,” he squeezed Billy’s hand.

“I love you. I wish to spend the rest of my life with you. If you will have me, I know I am no catch.” His breath got caught in his throat. “I have nightmares and wake in the middle of the night, I have days when the thought of going outside is so terrifying I can only stay in bed, I have, according to you, as well as everyone else who knows me, questionable taste in music.” That got him a surprised snort, and Goody smiled for a moment. “And I come with so much baggage. But I love you, I love you.” He knew he had tears in his eyes, and his voice was trembling, and he was babbling and should stop talking, but he couldn’t. “You are the light in my life. I know it hasn’t even been a year, but I can’t imagine loving anyone else as much as I love you. So, will you marry me, Billy Rocks?”

He never took his eyes off of Billy and now watched as a smile spread on Billy’s face once more.

“Yes, of course yes,” Billy said, sinking down to his knees as well, and this close Goody could see that Billy’s eye looked suspiciously shiny and wet. “Of course I will marry you, Goodnight Robicheaux.”

Goody exhaled, and he squeezed Billy’s hand. The wave of happiness almost drowning him as his heart finally stopped beating too fast and instead his chest warmed with love.

“I love you,” Billy said.

“I love you. Oh, cher, I love you so much. I really was going to do this differently. I don’t even have a ring yet, and I promise I was going to make this more romantic than kneeling on our kitchen tiles–” Billy put a finger against Goody’s lips.

“You talk so much,” Billy said and smiled. “Lucky for you, I find it endearing.”

Goody chuckled, and Billy moved his hand to cup Goody’s cheek, it was still a bit damp, but Goody didn’t care, much like he didn’t care about the water soaking the soft cotton of his pants.

“Besides this way we get to pick our rings together,” Billy said, and unexpected gleam entering his eyes.

“You do remember I’m not very rich?”

“Don’t worry, I don’t need a diamond,” Billy said, but smiled like he was definitely expecting something. 

Billy got to his feet, and took Goody’s hand, pulling him up. As soon as they were standing Goody cupped Billy’s head between his hands and kissed him, enjoying the soft sound of pleasure shared between them as the kiss grew more heated and Goody felt like the happy feeling in his chest would consume him.

“Bedroom,” Goody whispered against Billy’s lips, hot breath mingling between their mouths.

“Mhm,” Billy hummed and Goody kissed him again.

“I want to ravish my husband to be.”

“I like the sound of that.”

Goody took his hand again and led them out of the kitchen. The rest of the dishes forgotten on the sink. 

In the bedroom eager hands removed the hairtie holding Billy’s hair together, and then fingers were buried in dark locks, while other, just as eager, hands were pushing clothing out of the way in favor of naked skin. They toppled down on the bed laughing between kisses and soon the only sounds in the house were the sounds of passion and unrestrained joy coming from the bedroom.

**Author's Note:**

> I had so much fun writing this. Seriously, it's so self indulgent. But it cheered me up writing this and I needed that.
> 
> Come talk to me about cowboy husbands in love on my tumblr: tramstrams.tumblr.com


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